Jack Bergman

Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025

This bill expands the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) authority with respect to research on rare pediatric diseases, including by permitting the FDA to take enforcement action against drug sponsors that fail to satisfy pediatric study requirements and by reauthorizing programs that support pediatric research.

Specifically, the bill

• modifies requirements relating to molecularly targeted pediatric cancer investigations to permit research on new drugs in combination with active ingredients that have already been approved, provided certain conditions are met;

• permits the FDA to take enforcement action against drug sponsors that fail to comply with pediatric study requirements, if such sponsors demonstrated a lack of due diligence in satisfying the requirement;

• renews the FDA’s authority to award priority review vouchers to sponsors of new products intended to treat rare pediatric diseases through September 30, 2029; and

• reauthorizes through FY2027 certain funding for the National Institutes of Health to support priority pediatric research.

The bill also provides statutory authority for the FDA’s interpretation of the orphan drug exclusivity period. The bill specifies, consistent with FDA regulations, that the seven-year market exclusivity period for drugs for rare diseases or conditions (i.e., orphan drugs) prohibits the approval of the same drug for the same approved use or indication with respect to the disease or condition. (In Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Becerra, a court rejected the FDA’s interpretation and held that orphan drug exclusivity extends to all uses or indications for the disease or condition.)

Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act of 2025 or the FEMA Act of 2025

This bill reestablishes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (currently within the Department of Homeland Security) as an independent, cabinet-level agency. It also makes broad changes to FEMA’s disaster and hazard mitigation assistance programs.

The bill generally transfers FEMA’s current functions and authorities to the independent FEMA, except for certain security-related programs.

The bill makes various changes to the Public Assistance program, including by

• establishing new grants for expedited funding to repair or replace disaster-damaged facilities,

• establishing block grants that recipients may choose instead of Public Assistance for smaller disasters,

• expediting and expanding uses of funding for emergency response and debris removal, and

• allowing use of excess administrative funds for increasing recipients’ disaster management capacity.

The bill makes various changes to the Individual Assistance program, including by

• expanding eligibility for housing assistance,

• expanding mitigation and direct (non-financial) assistance for residences,

• reducing certain restrictions on funds duplicating program benefits, and

• establishing a unified disaster application system.

The bill makes various changes to FEMA’s mitigation programs, including by

• establishing mitigation plans with preapproved projects,

• authorizing an entire Hazard Mitigation Grant Program grant to be provided before costs are incurred,

• changing pre-disaster mitigation assistance to noncompetitive formula grants, and

• allowing recipients to combine mitigation project funds from multiple federal programs.

Additionally, federal entities must publish various information relating to disaster assistance and conduct various studies on related topics (e.g., preliminary damage assessments, fast-moving disasters, and government emergency alerting systems).

This resolution (1) condemns the assassination of Charles "Charlie" James Kirk and all forms of political violence; and (2) honors the life, leadership, and legacy of Charlie Kirk.

This bill increases the amount insured depository institutions may accept as reciprocal deposits. (Reciprocal deposits are used by institutions to increase the availability of deposit insurance by splitting large deposits using a reciprocal network of institutions.) The bill creates a tiered system so that the allowable amount is based on the institution's total liabilities.

Additionally, the bill changes certain qualifications insured depository institutions may be required to have to accept reciprocal deposits. Under current law, institutions may qualify by having a composite rating of outstanding or good, among other requirements. The bill allows institutions with a 1, 2, or 3 rating under the CAMELS scale to qualify. (The Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System uses the characteristics of capital adequacy, asset quality, management, earnings, liquidity, and sensitivity to market risk (i.e., CAMELS ratings) to rate the health of financial institutions, with a 1 indicating the highest rating and least degree of supervisory concern and a 5 indicating the lowest rating and highest degree of supervisory concern.)

Community Services Block Grant Improvement Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program through FY2032 and makes certain changes to the program and associated eligibility requirements. The CSBG program supports various antipoverty activities, primarily through formula-based allotments to states, tribes, and territories, the majority of which must be made available in grants to eligible local entities.

Specifically, the bill permanently sets the measure of eligibility for services, assistance, or resources provided directly to individuals or families under the program at 200% of the poverty line. (Under current law, the eligibility measure is temporarily set at 200% of the poverty line, an increase from the previous measure of 125% of the poverty line.)

The bill also makes certain changes to the permitted uses of funding, including by allowing CSBG funds to be used to facilitate low-income individuals’ and communities’ access to high-speed broadband, digital literacy training, technical support, and other services. States may also use certain funds allocated for training and technical assistance to assist eligible entities in responding to statewide and regional conditions that create economic insecurity, including emergency conditions.

The bill also expands requirements for the plans that states must submit to the Department of Health and Human Services in order to receive CSBG funds (e.g., transparency assurances), and sets deadlines by which states must make funds available to eligible entities.

Finally, the bill repeals a provision that allowed states to use CSBG funds to offset revenue losses associated with state charity tax credits.

Veterans Member Business Loan Act

This bill excludes from credit union aggregate loan limitations member business loans made to veterans.

Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act

This bill creates and expands federal grant programs within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to increase capacity to provide emergency obstetric health services in rural areas or areas without practitioners or facilities specializing in obstetric services.

Specifically, HRSA must establish a program for providing grants to certain hospitals or consortiums that include hospitals in rural areas or areas with maternal health care professional shortages for training, developing a workforce, and purchasing equipment relating to obstetric emergencies. In addition, the bill requires HRSA’s Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health Capacity program to provide grants for training on emergency obstetric services for practitioners in rural health care facilities without dedicated obstetric units. HRSA must also establish a pilot program to provide grants to government entities for developing or improving telehealth access programs to support urgent maternal health care in rural facilities without a dedicated obstetric unit.

Youth Lead Act

This bill reauthorizes through FY2030 National Institute of Food and Agriculture grants to the Girl Scouts of the USA, the Boy Scouts of America, the National 4–H Council, and the National FFA Organization. These grants must be used to establish pilot projects to expand the programs carried out by the organizations in rural areas and small towns.

Rosie the Riveter Commemorative Coin Act

This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue coins in recognition and celebration of the women who contributed to the U.S. home front during World War II. All sales of coins issued under this bill must include a surcharge to be paid to the Rosie the Riveter Trust to support the National Park Service in maintaining and repairing the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park.

Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act

This bill removes less-than-lethal projectile devices (e.g., certain TASERs) from regulation under the Gun Control Act.

The term less-than-lethal projectile device means a device that (1) is not designed or intended to expel (and may not be readily converted to discharge) commonly used ammunition or projectiles exceeding a velocity of 500 feet per second; (2) is designed and intended to be used in a manner not likely to cause death or serious bodily injury; and (3) does not accept (and cannot be readily modified to accept) an ammunition feeding device.

The bill also requires the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine whether a device satisfies the definition of a less-than-lethal projectile device within 90 days of a request.

Direct Seller and Real Estate Agent Harmonization Act

This bill excludes a real estate agent or a direct seller of consumer products from the definition of an employee for the purpose of applying the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). Workers who are considered employees under the FLSA must be paid the minimum wage and are generally eligible to receive overtime compensation for hours worked in excess of a 40-hour workweek.